Cutting mechanism



Feb. 28, 1967 H. R. GUEDRY CUTTING MECHANISM Filed June 28, 1965 FIG? INVENTOR.

HARRY R. GUEDRY United States Patent 3,306,508 CUTTING MECHANISM Harry R. Guedry, New Orleans, La., assignor of fifty percent to Associated Ideas, Inc., New Orleans, La., a corporation of Louisiana Filed June 28, 1965. Ser. No. 468,193 1 Claim. (Cl. 225-97) Industry is approaching the vexing problem of cutting, clipping, shearing and macerating material of various composition by going to higher and higher horsepower and greater number of teeth on saws, clippers and blades. What with the need to frequently sharpen the teeth on these industrial devices the profit becomes less and less. Likewise, in other fields cutting becomes a compromise between quality, the need to sharpen less often and the danger of damaging items being cut or clipped.

The object of this invention is to provide a cutter which does not need sharpening, uses less horsepower and cuts closer without damage; such an invention utilizes an extended spring or springs, the coils of which on closing cuts by crushing the object between said coils.

Fortunately, there is an endless number of types of springs made of various materials available in various tensions which would fulfill the object of this invention. To be operative the spring should be distended and allowed to pop back. Many ways would be applicable for carrying out the invention. One such way would be accomplished by attaching one end of the spring to an immovable section and the other end to a cam which on turning would quickly release the tension on the spring so that it returned with force. The cam would be attached to a prime mover for rapidity of cutting. Another way to accomplish the invention would be to use a vibrating mechanism, still another would be a solenoid to extend and release extension on the spring.

One or a plurality of springs would function to complete the objects of the invention. It would never be necessary to sharpen a cutting device having a cutting action from springs.

Still another object of this invention is that of selective cutting by limiting the space of the openings between each coil of the spring or springs.

Spring or springs would find application to the cutting of hair, threads, removal of cotton lint from cottonseed to mention just a few uses. The invention would be accomplished wherever the cutting of an object capable of going into the opening between the coils of the spring with the type of spring(s) and horsepower selected proportional to the strength of the material desired cut.

It would be recommended to use only a small part of the spiings total extension so as not to build up internal heat within the spring. It is also recommended that the material be removed from the interior of the spring either by :air or vibration or other satisfactory means.

The spring(s) would be placed in the open bottom of a hopper, or a basket of nothing but springs or the material could pass through the interior center of the spring(s) to mention just a few applications for practice of the invention. Auxiliary aids such as vibration, pressure, or air discharge on the material to be cut orshaved would function to complement the cutting action.

Any shaped spring with round, square, oblong, etc. coils would fulfill the object of the invention. Likewise the invention could be carried out with as little as one coil.

The following examples are illustrative of the inven tion and not to be considered as limitations thereof.

FIGURE 1 is a view of one of the springs in its extended state.

FIGURE 2 is a view of one of the springs in its nonextended state.

FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of the overall apparatus.

EXAMPLE 1 A spring was extended and hair allowed to fall within the coils, on popping back the hair was cut.

EXAMPLE 2 A spring was extended and threads were allowed to fall within the coils, on popping back the threads were cut.

EXAMPLE 3 Springs were placed side by side to enclose the bottom of an open chamber. The chamber was filled with cottonseed containing cotton linters thereon. The spring was extended so that there was a one-eighth inch opening between each coil. The springs were then released simultaneously and it was noted that within the springs were cotton fiber linters indicative of selective cutting. These one-eighth inch openings were sufiicient to allow the fiber to go through but not the cottonseed itself.

EXAMPLE 4 The same conditions as in Example 3 were used except .that the bank of springs lying side by side were immobilized and the free side attached to a straight edge which in turn was attached to a cam on the shaft of a motor. The mechanized assembly was run for 2 minutes and a much larger amount of cotton seed was delinted and a much larger amount of cotton linters was obtained than in Example 3.

The same device was used to shear paper, grind chemicals, strain trash from ground coffee, and blend and mix paint pigments.

Referring to FIGURE 1 a spring is illustrated in an extended state with a limited space opening between each coil, and cottonseeds or like type material seated on the spring with their associated linters falling through the openings between the coils of said spring.

FIGURE 2 ilustrates the same spring as in FIGURE 1 in the next instant of time whereby the spring is in a nonextended state with the linters having been cut away by the crushing action of the spring on closing. This figure also illustrates the fact that there is no damage to the cottonseed itself because selective cutting has taken place by limiting the space opening between each coil of the spring.

FIGURE 3 is used only to illustrate a typical arrangement, other cutting devices using the embodiment of the invention would be a hand shaver, a clothes or garment thread cutter and like type devices. This figure illustrates cutting, shearing, grinding, straining, blending and mixing applications whereby such items as cottonseed, paint pigments, chemicals and the like are placed in hopper 10, the bottom of which is composed of a plurality of springs 11, each lying one next to the other to completely enclose the opening in the bottom of the hopper, with one end of each spring 11 being attached to hopper 10 and the other end to rocker arm 12, said rocker arm attached to main assembly at pivot point 13 and activated by cam 14 on shaft 15 with activation of whole assembly by prime mover.

In other applications the hopper would be replaced by a belt or screw conveyor, if desired.

I claim the following:

Apparatus for cutting particulate, fibriform materials, the individual elements of which are substantially equable in cross section comprising: at least one coil spring defined by a plurality of integral coil members, each coil member, by virtue of the spring design, normally pressed tightly against the adjacent counterpart coil member; support means attached to each end of said coil spring and adapted to locate and support said coil spring; reciprocating means with associated drive means therefor located adjacent at least one of said support means, said reciprocating means adapted, (a) to extend said spring and separate adjacent coil members a distance at least sufficient to pass individual elements of the particulate fibriform material through the interstices thus formed and, (b) to release said coil spring when extended, the speed of release being at least equal to the inherent recovery speed of the said spring.

4- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1950 Lanzisera 14655 7/1965 Forward 225-106 WILLIAM W. DYER, IR., Primary Examiner.

ANDREW R. JUHASZ, Examiner.

L. B. TAYLOR, W. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiners. 

